as ultra-HOPPY as anything I've ever tasted... such a fresh explosion of taste! this could be the one.

my "old" mega-hoppy favorites:Two-Hearted Ale, Bell's Brewing-MI (can't get it on the west coast )Hop Ottin', Anderson Valley Brewing-Mendocino,CAIPA, Lagunitas Brewing-Sonoma,CAIPA, Stone Brewing-San Diego,CATerminal Gravity- Enterprise, ORPelican IPA, from a small remote brewpub right on the Oregon coast at Pacific Cityand of course Hammerhead ales at our local McMenamin's brewpub chain, which includes the Crystal Ballroom.

Lately I've been getting into the maltier flavor of Rogue Ales "Dead Guy"

Dude, I am with you. Give me the aggresively hopped West Coast beers....

Sammie Smith, New Castle, Leinies and Anchor Steam are among my favorites, but I love sooo many others. I guess it depends on the day, doesn't it? BTW, thought this would be some fun additional reading on the topic of black and tans.

alcorelectric wrote:Not to sound pompous, but a true Black and Tan is Harp and Guiness.

Well, firstly I don't believe that there is a "true" Black and Tan. Seeing as how it is a beverage consisting of a lighter beer and a darker beer, it could be a variety of things. And for Harp and Guinness, for some reason in America that is a Half and Half, and the Bass/Guinness combo is referred to Black and Tan. Granted most people only really here of the Black and Tan at the bars in relation to Guinness, but that doesn't make it the "true" Black and Tan (It is good, but I don't understand why the need to put Harp into Guinness, I mean Guinness is much better without)

As far as other beers, well this is great season. The Belgian Christmas beers are out, so the Gouden Carolus Noel is high atop my list when going to the local beer store. The Bell's Special Double Cream Stout and Java Stout are also quite tasty. Looking forward to the Hop Slam in January.

Steve,
I lived 2 years in Ireland
The only beer I have ever seen mixed with Guiness is Harp, and that was called a Black and Tan.
I for one dont like either beer.
The beer I drank was strictly Smithwicks
T

,

Well, firstly I don't believe that there is a "true" Black and Tan. Seeing as how it is a beverage consisting of a lighter beer and a darker beer, it could be a variety of things. And for Harp and Guinness, for some reason in America that is a Half and Half, and the Bass/Guinness combo is referred to Black and Tan. Granted most people only really here of the Black and Tan at the bars in relation to Guinness, but that doesn't make it the "true" Black and Tan (It is good, but I don't understand why the need to put Harp into Guinness, I mean Guinness is much better without)

man y'all are fuckin killin me! I so miss the majority of the micro brews mentioned as they are not avaiable in Mexico...and tigerstrat had to go and mention Hop Ottin and Lagunitas IPA, hands down my favorite California beers. But it's not all bad here in Mexico, Leon is a decent darkish beer and Victoria is a decent lightish beer. Bohemia is a good creamy hoppy style that's actually my favorite. This time of year there's a seasonal called Noche Buena that's a good creamy brew. But really I miss the tasty variety from the states.

Goin' home, goin' home
By the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

alcorelectric wrote:Steve, I lived 2 years in Ireland The only beer I have ever seen mixed with Guiness is Harp, and that was called a Black and Tan. I for one dont like either beer. The beer I drank was strictly Smithwicks

I believe it, as I said, in America for some reason the Harp/Guinness combo is called Half and Half (at least in my experience). Don't know why. When I was living out in London I never ventured for the mixture, so I don't know if the Black and Tan being Harp/Guinness is there as well. But if that's the way it is in Ireland, wouldn't surprise me. Unfortunately I never made it to Ireland, hopefully that will change in the near future.

There is another micro that I recently became aware of: Hoppin' Frog. Out of Akron, they have a good double ipa and imperial oatmeal stout. Worth checking out if you see them, although they are a bit on the pricey side..

big_river_bum wrote:as a poor student i often drink beast, pbr, high life, or old style, but i enjoy other stuff too.

=bell's oberon-my favorite=leinie's-original and honey weiss=capital winter ale=new glarus-spotted cow,uff-da,fat squirrel=newcastle=spatten-original and optimator. just had boots of the stuff at the local essenhausflying dog-in heat wheat

The only Stout ive ever liked( if its a stout) is the Terminator Ale in Eugene Oregon. Great. Other than that i stick with Heineken or Sierra Nevada.
A couple of years ago my wife got me the beers of the world membership for Christmas. Every month they sent me a case of domestic micro-brews and a case of international. I miss it!!!!

As for b & t's, they're more for show. Guiness in Ireland is incredible and only mediocre in the states. As for Harp, it's a rather lame beer but Bass is one of the finest one the planet, so when I tried b & t's, it was the Guiness/Bass combo and it was rather tasty and looked cool (Harp is a tab bit lighter and doesn't look as good) but again, most of the folks I talked to in Ireland/England thought it more a novelty than something you drank on a steady basis.

"The only funeral you should ever try to interrupt is your own, and that should be a full-time job." -Kinky Friedman